'In vitro' means 'in glass' in Latin.
Louise Brown was the first 'test tube baby' to be born in the 1980's.
The sperm and egg cells are taken from the parents and fertilised in a laboratory.
One or two fertilised egg cells are then implanted into the womb of the mother or surrogate and carried to term. The remaining healthy embryos are frozen.
The first cycle of IVF costs between £2,500-£3,000 in the first instance, and after that, any further cycles cost £1,000 to £2,000 each.
Women who are undergoing IVF treatment are restricted in their diet; alcohol and raw foods shouldn't be eaten, and drugs and smoking are also prohibited.
Women undergoing chemotherapy (especially if she is young and childless) some of her eggs will be frozen so she may be able to conceive via IVF in the future.
IVF is also useful for older women, women with severely blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, men with very poor sperm quality and couples with unexplained infertility. (Statistically, 1 in 10 women have blocked fallopian tubes.)
IVF can solve a lot of fertility problems, but it requires a rigorous regimen of fertility drugs before the start of each cycle and this introduces a long list of side effects.

	Created by Summer Pearce over 10 years ago

Fertility testing, artificial insemination, IVF, fertility drugs and legislation on fertility treatment in the UK